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AA vs. SQM: Alcoa vs. Sociedad Química y Minera Stock Comparison

How do Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) both fall under the Materials industry group, but AA is classified in Metals & Mining while SQM is classified in Chemicals.

Alcoa (AA) trades as ordinary local shares, while Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
Profile ItemAASQM
NameAlcoa CorporationSociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesChile
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryAluminumSpecialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization10.44 billion USD16.43 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962September 21, 1993
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AA
SQM
GSPC
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Total Return (1Y)12.55%19.41%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.53%7.76%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.46%1.46%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AA
SQM
GSPC
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)53.37%47.10%
Beta (5Y)1.801.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-75.46%-69.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.61M953.31K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AA and SQM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.160.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.230.49

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 20.58% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 21.82% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

AA

Materials industry group

20.58%

Max
52.88%
AA
20.58%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

SQM

Materials industry group

21.82%

Max
52.88%
SQM
21.82%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 20.62% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Alcoa (AA) at 10.68%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AA

Materials industry group

10.68%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
AA
10.68%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

SQM

Materials industry group

20.62%

Max
38.66%
SQM
20.62%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 48.82% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Alcoa (AA) at 16.01%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AA

Materials industry group

16.01%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
AA
16.01%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

SQM

Materials industry group

48.82%

Max
66.70%
SQM
48.82%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
ROE (TTM)20.58%21.82%
ROA (TTM)7.52%11.55%
Net Margin (TTM)10.68%20.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.01%48.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)22.76%42.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Alcoa (AA) at 7.87% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 1.05% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Alcoa (AA) at 1,600.00% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at -14.16%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.87%1.05%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.01%-24.68%
EPS Growth (YoY)1,600.00%-14.16%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---46.80%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 2.31 and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.61 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

AA

Materials industry group

2.31

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
AA
2.31
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

SQM

Materials industry group

2.61

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
SQM
2.61
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 0.58 and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 0.61 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AA

Materials industry group

0.58

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
AA
0.58
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

SQM

Materials industry group

0.61

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
SQM
0.61
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.312.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.580.61
Net Debt / EBITDA0.140.32

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.55% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Alcoa (AA) at 1.04% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SQM the richer one.

AA

Materials industry group

1.04%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
AA
1.04%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SQM

Materials industry group

2.55%

Max
4.52%
SQM
2.55%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 6.96% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 21.19% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AA

Materials industry group

6.96%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
AA
6.96%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SQM

Materials industry group

21.19%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
SQM
21.19%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.04%2.55%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.96%21.19%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 6.88 and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 11.84 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

AA

Materials industry group

6.88

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
AA
6.88
Min
3.93

SQM

Materials industry group

11.84

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
SQM
11.84
Min
3.93
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 0.73 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.44 prices around its industry’s middle — AA costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

AA

Materials industry group

0.73

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
AA
0.73
Min
0.00

SQM

Materials industry group

2.44

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
SQM
2.44
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Alcoa (AA) at 1.27 and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.60 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AA

Materials industry group

1.27

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
AA
1.27
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

SQM

Materials industry group

2.60

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
SQM
2.60
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Alcoa (AA) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricAASQM
P/E Ratio (TTM)6.8811.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.732.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.272.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)8.80%15.94%